16 ms·

The Librem 5 uses a bottom of the barrel, standard industrial CPU from 2017 with no updates. It is no more open than a Google Pixel or any other mobile device.

The Librem 5 uses a bottom of the barrel, standard industrial CPU from 2017 with no updates. It is no more open than a Google Pixel or any other mobile device. it lacks proper updates, isolated radios, and any form of hardening. The kill switches are also useless if your device is fully compromised and turned into a spying device, all of your data is already gone. The only thing the switches do as a last resort is block voice recording, which is an improper way of doing it since speakers are essentially just microphones in reverse.

fsflover 5mo ago
> CPU from 2017 with no updates This is false. Please stop writing false statements without any links. NXP promises to produce the i.MX 8M Quad until Jan. 2033. The support will be even longer. > it lacks proper updates This is FUD. > isolated radios They are isolated with USB. This might be slightly weaker than IOMMU, but for me the benefit of freedom is worth it. There is no shared memory. > it lacks proper updates, isolated radios, and any form of hardening FUD and false information. Please stop this. > The kill switches are also useless if your device is fully compromised This is false again. It doesn't matter how much my device might be compromised. The attacker will not get any access to the shut down sensors, radios or voice/video, if I use the three kill switches. > since speakers are essentially just microphones in reverse Librem 5 speakers do not support this.
- kuhsaft 5mo ago
  Not OP, but > This is false. Please stop writing false statements without any links. NXP promises to produce the i.MX 8M Quad until Jan. 2033. The support will be even longer. I think they meant that the processor itself is old. It supports ARMv8 and is lacking the enhanced memory protection and execution features of the ARMv9-A processors on newer phones. > This is false again. It doesn't matter how much my device might be compromised. The attacker will not get any access to the shut down sensors, radios or voice/video, if I use the three kill switches. The problem is that your device can be compromised quite easily and without you knowing. The kill switches are moot at that point.
  - fsflover 5mo ago
    The kill switches will work independently on a compromise. Why are they moot? Also, it's possible to completely reflash the device in case of doubt. "quite easily" strongly depends on what exactly you are doing. For example, if I use Firefox with NoScript, then it is not very easy.
    - kuhsaft 5mo ago
      > The kill switches will work independently on a compromise. Why are they moot? Kill switches only work as a security feature when you activate them before you know you're compromised. But that's impossible. It's a reactive "security" feature not a proactive one. > For example, if I use Firefox with NoScript, then it is not very easy. Security vulnerabilities aren't only JS related. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2026-30/#CVE-2026-6746 https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2026-3... https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2026-30/#CVE-2026-6761 https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2026-3... Adding an extension that can access all your browsing data doesn't seem very secure either. Required permissions: - Access browser tabs - Access browser activity during navigation - Access your data for all websites
      - fsflover 5mo ago
        Good links, thank you. I agree that my protection is not perfect in general. Fortunately I do not open random websites on my phone; I have my laptop with Qubes OS for that. > Adding an extension that can access all your browsing data doesn't seem very secure either. This is not just a random extension but an officially recommended one, https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recommended-extensions-program https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recommended-extensions-.... It's also regularly verified by the community. I trust it as I trust Firefox.
        kuhsaft 5mo ago
        > Fortunately I do not open random websites on my phone That's the main use for almost everyone. You're suggesting people use a less secure device and are stating that it's more secure if they don't use it in the way it's mostly used? That doesn't sound like freedom. That sounds like living in paranoia. You bring up FUD in so many comments, but you seem to be living it. Ironically though, you choose to use systems that enable FUD when there are systems that let you not worry. There are people building secure software and hardware, so people don't have to live in fear when using their devices. That's the freedom that many people care about. There's the freedom to shoot yourself in the foot. Most people don't care about that.

fsflover 5mo ago

> CPU from 2017 with no updates This is false. Please stop writing false statements without any links. NXP promises to produce the i.MX 8M Quad until Jan. 2033. The support will be even longer. > it lacks proper updates This is FUD. > isolated radios They are isolated with USB. This might be slightly weaker than IOMMU, but for me the benefit of freedom is worth it. There is no shared memory. > it lacks proper updates, isolated radios, and any form of hardening FUD and false information. Please stop this. > The kill switches are also useless if your device is fully compromised This is false again. It doesn't matter how much my device might be compromised. The attacker will not get any access to the shut down sensors, radios or voice/video, if I use the three kill switches. > since speakers are essentially just microphones in reverse Librem 5 speakers do not support this.

kuhsaft 5mo ago
Not OP, but > This is false. Please stop writing false statements without any links. NXP promises to produce the i.MX 8M Quad until Jan. 2033. The support will be even longer. I think they meant that the processor itself is old. It supports ARMv8 and is lacking the enhanced memory protection and execution features of the ARMv9-A processors on newer phones. > This is false again. It doesn't matter how much my device might be compromised. The attacker will not get any access to the shut down sensors, radios or voice/video, if I use the three kill switches. The problem is that your device can be compromised quite easily and without you knowing. The kill switches are moot at that point.
- fsflover 5mo ago
  The kill switches will work independently on a compromise. Why are they moot? Also, it's possible to completely reflash the device in case of doubt. "quite easily" strongly depends on what exactly you are doing. For example, if I use Firefox with NoScript, then it is not very easy.
  - kuhsaft 5mo ago
    > The kill switches will work independently on a compromise. Why are they moot? Kill switches only work as a security feature when you activate them before you know you're compromised. But that's impossible. It's a reactive "security" feature not a proactive one. > For example, if I use Firefox with NoScript, then it is not very easy. Security vulnerabilities aren't only JS related. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2026-30/#CVE-2026-6746 https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2026-3... https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2026-30/#CVE-2026-6761 https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2026-3... Adding an extension that can access all your browsing data doesn't seem very secure either. Required permissions: - Access browser tabs - Access browser activity during navigation - Access your data for all websites
    - fsflover 5mo ago
      Good links, thank you. I agree that my protection is not perfect in general. Fortunately I do not open random websites on my phone; I have my laptop with Qubes OS for that. > Adding an extension that can access all your browsing data doesn't seem very secure either. This is not just a random extension but an officially recommended one, https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recommended-extensions-program https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recommended-extensions-.... It's also regularly verified by the community. I trust it as I trust Firefox.
      - kuhsaft 5mo ago
        > Fortunately I do not open random websites on my phone That's the main use for almost everyone. You're suggesting people use a less secure device and are stating that it's more secure if they don't use it in the way it's mostly used? That doesn't sound like freedom. That sounds like living in paranoia. You bring up FUD in so many comments, but you seem to be living it. Ironically though, you choose to use systems that enable FUD when there are systems that let you not worry. There are people building secure software and hardware, so people don't have to live in fear when using their devices. That's the freedom that many people care about. There's the freedom to shoot yourself in the foot. Most people don't care about that.